Md. Senate overrides Veto on Wal-Mart bill

[Speed of Sound]

Quite the interesting story. Very inspiring for all of our anti-Wal-Mart fans, such as myself.

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Md. Senate Overrides Veto of Wal-Mart Bill

By KRISTEN WYATT, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 27 minutes ago

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland legislators voted Thursday to enact a first-in-the-nation requirement that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spend more on employee health care. The measure, touted as a money-saver for the state-supported Medicaid program, takes effect despite the governor's veto of the bill.

Labor unions have said they are seeking similar legislation this year in at least 30 other states. Supporters say the retailing giant unfairly takes advantage of taxpayer-funded health care plans because some workers can't afford Wal-Mart's health insurance.

"The taxpayers are giving a health-care subsidy to the largest retailer on earth," argued Democratic Delegate Kumar Barve. The House and Senate, both controlled by Democrats, both notched the three-fifths margins needed to override a veto last May by Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

[ATFFL]

I'm sure the thousand of employees who lose their jobs when Wal*mart leaves maryland will be thrilled their suffering puts a smile on your face.

I also wonder how much the maryland government spends on health care.  Would they be in violation of their own bill?

[YRABNNRM]

This is ridiculous. As bad as WalMart may be who is the state to interfere?

[Virginian87]

I'm sure the thousand of employees who lose their jobs when Wal*mart leaves maryland will be thrilled their suffering puts a smile on your face.

Ridiculous comment.  Wal-Mart will never leave Maryland.  Part of this problem for Maryland lawmakers is that Wal-Mart stubbornly refuses to allow unionization of its work force.  I don't have to much of an opinion of the measure at the moment; we'll just have to see what happens.  This may make the Ehrlich Administration look weak in the upcoming elections if the their are positive results.

[TheresNoMoney]

I'm sure the thousand of employees who lose their jobs when Wal*mart leaves maryland will be thrilled their suffering puts a smile on your face.

Hilarious!! Wal-Mart isn't leaving Maryland in a million years.

Hell, in the .00000001% chance Wal-Mart did leave it would have a positive effect in the long run.

[TeePee4Prez]

I'm sure the thousand of employees who lose their jobs when Wal*mart leaves maryland will be thrilled their suffering puts a smile on your face.

I also wonder how much the maryland government spends on health care.  Would they be in violation of their own bill?

Wal-Mart cost many more jobs than it created.  Good riddance!  I hope PA is one of those 30 states and being how strong our labor unions are, it's likely.

[TheresNoMoney]

The average American business spends approximately 8.5% of its payroll on healthcare.

This bill merely forces Wal-Mart to spend at least 8% of its payroll on healthcare in order to save the state money on Medicaid for Wal-Mart employees.

[nini2287]

This is ridiculous. As bad as WalMart may be who is the state to interfere?

Agreed.  I didn't really like Duncan, Ehrlich or O'Malley before, but Ehrlich certainly looks most tolerable now!

[Emsworth]

The idea that a state should be able to enact laws targeting specific companies is absurd and dangerous. This seems very much akin to a bill of attainder.

Nobody is being forced to work for Wal-Mart. If someone is unhappy with Wal-Mart's healthcare policies, all he needs to do is refuse to accept a job with this company.

[John Dibble]

What Emsworth said.

[opebo]

Nobody is being forced to work for Wal-Mart. If someone is unhappy with Wal-Mart's healthcare policies, all he needs to do is refuse to accept a job with this company.

No one of the class that might work at WalMart is offered health insurance at any job.

Hooray for Maryland!  A real freeloader gets called to account!

[John Dibble]

Hooray for Maryland!  A real freeloader gets called to account!

So opebo, when are you going to get called to account? Last time I checked, Wal-Mart provides a service to people, and since you don't you are an even greater freeloader, so I repeat - when are you going to get called to account?

[opebo]

Hooray for Maryland!  A real freeloader gets called to account!

So opebo, when are you going to get called to account? Last time I checked, Wal-Mart provides a service to people, and since you don't you are an even greater freeloader, so I repeat - when are you going to get called to account?

You are criticizing the system you love so well, Dibble!  Your capitalism is built to provide a free ride for me.  Now get back to work.

[John Dibble]

Hooray for Maryland!  A real freeloader gets called to account!

So opebo, when are you going to get called to account? Last time I checked, Wal-Mart provides a service to people, and since you don't you are an even greater freeloader, so I repeat - when are you going to get called to account?

You are criticizing the system you love so well, Dibble!  Your capitalism is built to provide a free ride for me.  Now get back to work.

First, a definition:

free·load
intr.v. Slang free·load·ed, free·load·ing, free·loads
To take advantage of the charity, generosity, or hospitality of others.

I'm not criticizing the system, opebo, I'm criticizing your hypocrisy. You call Wal-Mart, a business the provides services valued by many people and pays it's employees(though debateably not well, the employees still don't work for charity), a free loader and you are glad that they, as freeloaders, have been called to account when they don't even freeload. You on the other hand verily meet the definition as you survive completely on the charity and hospitality of your parents - so since you have this desire for freeloaders to be called to account, I ask you when are you going to be called to account? When are you going to take some responsibility, huh? Or are you just a hypocrite like I said?

[DanielX]

I'm sure the thousand of employees who lose their jobs when Wal*mart leaves maryland will be thrilled their suffering puts a smile on your face.

Hilarious!! Wal-Mart isn't leaving Maryland in a million years.

Hell, in the .00000001% chance Wal-Mart did leave it would have a positive effect in the long run.

Stict zoning has already banished Wal-Mart out of most of Montgomery County; there's like only 1 in the whole county or something. There's some zoning law forbidding or adding a special tax to all buildings beyond a certain size with x% of food - basically targetting Wal-Mart and Target. Result? There are very few good cheap retailers around - you have to trek over to Prince George's or Howard County for them.

[TheresNoMoney]

Agreed.  I didn't really like Duncan, Ehrlich or O'Malley before, but Ehrlich certainly looks most tolerable now!

Ugh.

Obviously you are OK with Wal-Mart costing the states many millions of dollars in Medicaid costs because they underpay their workers and refuse to provide adequate health coverage (all the while they made over $10.3 billion in net income in 2004, a record).

All the bill does is make them provide a compareable level of health coverage to other businesses.

[opebo]

Hooray for Maryland!  A real freeloader gets called to account!

So opebo, when are you going to get called to account? Last time I checked, Wal-Mart provides a service to people, and since you don't you are an even greater freeloader, so I repeat - when are you going to get called to account?

You are criticizing the system you love so well, Dibble!  Your capitalism is built to provide a free ride for me.  Now get back to work.

First, a definition:

free·load
intr.v. Slang free·load·ed, free·load·ing, free·loads
To take advantage of the charity, generosity, or hospitality of others.

You call Wal-Mart a free loader and you are glad that they, as freeloaders, have been called to account when they don't even freeload.

They freeload upon the public teat, Dibble - Medicaid.  Their workers must have welfare in order to survive and drag themselves back to work.  This is a subsidy!

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Never, nor have I ever claimed otherwise - hence, not a hypocrite, hypocrite.

[TheresNoMoney]

The idea that a state should be able to enact laws targeting specific companies is absurd and dangerous.

It doesn't specifically target Wal-Mart, it targets employers with over 10,000 resident Maryland employees that don't spend at least 8% of their payroll on healthcare costs.

It just so happens that Wal-Mart is the only Maryland employer with more than 10,000 Maryland employees who spends less than 8% on healthcare.......

[??????????]

The idea that a state should be able to enact laws targeting specific companies is absurd and dangerous.

It doesn't specifically target Wal-Mart, it targets employers with over 10,000 resident Maryland employees that don't spend at least 8% of their payroll on healthcare costs.

It just so happens that Wal-Mart is the only Maryland employer with more than 10,000 Maryland employees who spends less than 8% on healthcare.......

How is this the states business?

[TheresNoMoney]

How is this the states business?

They are paying to subsidize thousands of Wal-Mart employees with Medicaid dollars and other welfare payments.

[??????????]

How is this the states business?

They are paying to subsidize thousands of Wal-Mart employees with Medicaid dollars and other welfare payments.

How is Walmart at fault for employees and many other state residents applying for benefits from the state of Maryland?

[TheresNoMoney]

How is Walmart at fault for employees and many other state residents applying for benefits from the state of Maryland?

Because they're not providing adequate health coverage and using the state to subsidize their employees, instead of covering them themselves.

[??????????]

How is Walmart at fault for employees and many other state residents applying for benefits from the state of Maryland?

Because they're not providing adequate health coverage and using the state to subsidize their employees, instead of covering them themselves.

Who determines what's "adequate" and why is it anyones business what a private company provides for it's employee? Keep using your circular logic, liberal.

[A18]

Businesses should not spend any money on medical care

[??????????]

Businesses should not spend any money on medical care

What if a company wants to provide insurance for its company. Surely that is their right?